A Kiss to Build a SCENE On with Julie Lessman

“No, I don’t think I will kiss you, although you need kissing, badly. That’s what’s wrong with you. You should be kissed and often, and by someone who knows how.” – Rhett Butler from Gone with the Wind

By someone who knows how?…Hmm…

Maybe this could apply to writers too? “A kiss should be written, and written often, and written by an author who knows how”

Well, well, an author who knows how is my guest today. Julie Lessman, recently titled Queen of the Kissing Scenes, as I recall from her Seekerville post on Wednesday A Kiss isn’t Just a Kiss – check it out here:

Now, we all know that there are kisses, and then THERE ARE KISSES! Some kisses bring a flutter, a hint of warmth, a momentary tremble of anticipation – and others waft through your senses like an overheated furnace, branding into your memory for eternity. Oh yes.

And speaking of kiss branding. Did I mention Julie Lessman is my guest today? You know, “Romantic tension, thy name is Julie” Julie Lessman. 😉

And not only is her keyboard hot from writing smokin’ smooches, she’s also offering a HOT option for commenters today. Leave one comment and you’ll be placed in a drawing to win one of Julie’s Daughters of Boston books, or receive her up-and-coming release, A Hope Undaunted. (I’m trying not to have envy here…sigh) Katie’s story looks FANTASTIC and you get a wonderfully alluring sneak peek today. To learn more about Julie and her books visit www.julielessman.com

As you can see, the theme for today is Gone With the Wind.

It’s one of Julie’s favorite books – so-…

Fiddle dee dee, Julie, what do you think makes a good kissing scene?

Oh, honey, there are SO many things that make a good kissing scene in my opinion, but I think one of my favorites is when there is high drama involved (such as anger, for instance, as in the scene I’ve chosen). I mean, let’s face it, as women we ALL love a man who won’t let a heroine ride roughshod over him, right? My editor likes to refer to it as the “Taming of the Shrew” mentality, which she isn’t overly fond of but I happen to like, so she does let me get away with it every now and then, such as in the scene below from my upcoming novel, A Hope Undaunted. Unfortunately for her, the heroine Katie O’Connor manages to tick off the really nice-guy hero, Luke McGee, and trust me, he does not let her get away with it!

“Katie, are you okay?” Luke loosened his tie and stared, concern creasing his brow as he watched her, her body slumped at the window with a hand to her eyes. She didn’t move, and the tightness in his gut increased. He approached quietly, afraid he would startle her. “Katie?”

“Oh!” She whirled around, staggering against the sill with a hand to her chest.

He clutched her arm to steady her, and the color drained from her cheeks. Softening his hold, he absently grazed her skin with his thumb, then ducked his head and smiled, eyes tender as he studied her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you. Are you all right?”

She nodded stiffly, her gaze glued to the massive hand on her arm.

Worry wrinkled the bridge of his nose and he braced both palms on her shoulders, convinced something was wrong. Her face was white and her breathing labored, and he could swear he felt a hint of a tremble. “No, I can feel it. Something’s bothering you.” He pressed his hand to her forehead. “Are you sick?”

She jerked back from his hold and butted up against the window, arms crossed and hugging her waist. “No!” she said too quickly to suit him, clearly avoiding his eyes. “I mean maybe a little dizzy, but nothing serious. I just need to go home …”

He shifted, suddenly concerned it had to do with him. He plunged his hands in his pockets and softened his tone. “Katie … is it me? Did I say or do something to upset you?”

She shook her head, gaze bonded to the floor. “No, Luke, really, please, I just need to—”

He nudged her chin up with his thumb, and her lips parted with a sharp intake of breath. And then he saw it. The gentle rise and fall of her chest, the soft rose in her cheeks, the skittish look in her eyes, flitting to his lips and then quickly away. Comprehension suddenly oozed through him like heated honey purling through his veins. Could it be? Was it possible that cold, callous Katie O’Connor was beginning to warm up? To him, of all people—Cluny McGee, the leper from her past? The thought sent warm ripples of shock through his body, thinning the air in his lungs. His gaze gentled, taking in the vulnerability in her eyes, the fear in her face, and all he wanted to do was hold her, reassure her.

As if under a spell, his gaze was drawn to her lips, parted and full, and the sound of her shallow breathing filled him with a fierce longing. “Oh, Katie,” he whispered, no power over the pull he was suddenly feeling. In slow motion, he bent toward her, closing his eyes to caress her mouth with his own. A weak gasp escaped her as she stiffened, but he couldn’t relent. The taste of her lips was far more than he bargained for, and he drew her close with a raspy groan. With a fierce hold, he cupped the back of her neck and kissed her deeply, gently, possessive in his touch. His fingers twined in her hair, desperate to explore.

And then all at once, beyond his comprehension, her body melded to his with an answering groan, and he was shocked when her mouth rivaled his with equal demand. Desire licked through him, searing his body and then his conscience. With a heated shudder, he gripped her arms and pushed her back, his breathing ragged as he held her at bay. “We can’t do this,” he whispered. He dropped his hold and exhaled, gouging shaky fingers through disheveled hair. His gaze returned, capturing hers and riddled with regret. “Believe me, Katie, as much as I want to, I’ve learned the hard way to take things slow. I should have never started this, and I’m sorry. Will you forgive me?”

*************

Forgive him? She stared at him through glazed eyes, her pulse still pumping in her veins at a ridiculous rate. She never wanted this, couldn’t stand the sight of him, and now here she was, tingling from his touch and desperate for more. Addicted to the “King of Misery.” The very thought inflamed both fury and desire at the same time, muddling her mind. Dear Lord, she was torn between welding her lips to his or slapping him silly. With a tight press of her mouth, she opted for the second and smacked him clean across the face.

His jaw dropped a full inch, complemented nicely by a slash of red across his cheek.

Her chest was heaving, but at least it wasn’t from his touch. She narrowed her eyes and clutched her fists at her side, not all that sure she wouldn’t slap him again. “So help me, if you ever touch me again, you will be the sorriest person alive.”

He slowly rubbed his cheek with the side of his hand, exercising his jaw as if to make sure it still worked. His eyes glinted like blue glass, sharp and deadly. Even so, the swaggering smile of old eased across his face. He bent forward, his tall frame looming over her like a bad omen, and his voice held that cocky drawl so reminiscent of his past. “What’s the matter, Katie Rose,” he whispered, “does my touch make you nervous?”

The heat in her cheeks went straight to her temper. She iced him with a cool gaze. “Nervous? Around you? Hardly. You can dress up in a suit all you like, Luke McGee, but to me you’ll always be the same cocky street brat with a twang in your voice and grime on your face.”

She knew her words hit their mark when a red blotch crawled up the back of his neck like a rash gone awry. A nerve pulsed in his temple, but his smile never wavered despite the steel edge of his jaw. One blond brow jagged high in challenge. “Is that a fact? Well then, how about a little experiment? Kind of like when you were eleven and I bet you couldn’t be nice?” He leaned close, his voice as hard as his eyes. “What d’ya bet I can make you nervous now?”

She tried to shove him out of the way. “I’m going home.”

“Not yet,” he whispered, blocking her in with a push to the wall. His voice, like the dominance of his hold, was a force to be reckoned with. “You always packed a wallop for a little girl, Katydid, but this time you picked the wrong street brat. You can turn your nose up at me all you want, but we both know that slap wasn’t so much about an innocent kiss …” He bent close, his eyes on fire and his breath hot against her face. “As how it made you feel.”

His words seemed to vibrate through her, low and thick in the air. She shuddered, and the force of his savage look trapped all protest in her throat.

“To you I’ll always be riff-raff, something vulgar and crude. Well, welcome to my world, Miss O’Connor. And, please, let me show you how we do it on the ‘streets.’ Because if I’m going to take a beating, you can bet your bottom dollar on two things for sure. One—I’m going to get my money’s worth.” A dangerous smile surfaced as his gaze focused on her lips. “And two …” His mouth hovered just above hers while his voice trailed to a whisper. “I’m gonna make you real nervous in the process.”

In a catch of her breath, he took her mouth by force, his late-day beard rough against her skin. A faint moan escaped her lips and all resistance fled, burned away by the heat of his touch, leaving her weak and wanting. His mouth roamed at will, no longer gentle as he devoured her, ravenous against the smooth curve of her throat, the soft flesh of her ear. With a guttural groan, he jerked her close with powerful arms, consuming her mouth with a kiss surely driven by the sheer will to ravage.

And then in a frantic beat of her heart, he shoved her away. She gasped, numb as she thudded against the wall. His chest was heaving and his eyes were hard, focused on her with cool disregard. “There. Now that makes two of the sorriest people alive.” He grabbed her purse from the floor and threw it on her desk, then rubbed his mouth with the side of his hand. “Better run home, Katydid. God knows the riff-raff that roam the street this time of night.”

He turned and walked into his office, slamming the door hard.

She stared, her body still quivering from his rage. Closing her eyes, she sagged against the wall, too stunned to move and too shaken to care. She pressed a trembling hand to her mouth, her lips swollen from the taste of him. She was doomed, she realized, and the thought shivered through her like a cold chill. She wanted a man she didn’t really want, and the very notion weakened her at the knees. He had called her one of the sorriest people alive. She grappled for her purse and put a hand to her eyes.

And God help her, she was.

Scarlett: Rhett, don’t. I shall faint.Rhett Butler: I want you to faint. This is what you were meant for. None of the fools you’ve ever know have kissed you like this, have they? Your Charles, or your Frank, or your stupid Ashley

I’ve liked Luke McGee since I first met him as the scraggly tag-along of John Brady – when he was called Cluny. Gee whiz, Julie, he’s grown into a hunk of man, hasn’t he? 😉 And JUST what sassy Katie needs too. Sigh.

Anyone else hear a sizzling sound somewhere in the direction of the computer? Maybe it’s just me, but I’m in need of a tall glass of ice water and maybe a cloth to wipe the drool from my keyboard. Woohoo. Thank. You. Julie.

Kissing Quote of the Day:

“There’s this place in me where your fingerprints still rest, your kisses still linger, and your whispers softly echo. It’s the place where a part of you will forever be a part of me.” – Gretchen Kemp

Inspirational Kissing Quote:

I want to leave you with one my favorite ‘love’ passages from the Bible, one to meditate on over Valentine’s Day weekend. What is true love? What can two people, united by heart and spirit celebrate this weekend?

Romans 8:38-39 says it all – Real love. Undeniable love. Unstoppable love. A hero, a bridegroom, a lover and friend who sweeps away all doubt with his all-consuming, neverchanging, forever kind of love.

“Do you think anyone is going to be able to drive a wedge between us and Christ’s love for us? There is no way! Not trouble, not hard times, not hatred, not hunger, not homelessness, not bullying threats, not backstabbing, not even the worst sins listed in Scripture:

They kill us in cold blood because they hate you.
We’re sitting ducks; they pick us off one by one.None of this fazes us because Jesus loves us. I’m absolutely convinced that nothing—nothing living or dead, angelic or demonic, today or tomorrow, high or low, thinkable or unthinkable—absolutely nothing can get between us and God’s love because of the way that Jesus our Master has embraced us.”

71 thoughts on “A Kiss to Build a SCENE On with Julie Lessman”

Wow! Mrs. Lessman your writing just gets better and better! And I agree with you Mrs. Pepper I love Luke McGee to He was one of my favorite characters in A Passion Denied. I cannot wait to read A Hope Undaunted Please enter me in the contest! I’m keeping my fingers crossed;)

Whew, Julie! You are outdoing yourself! That was sizzling. But it fits the characters perfectly.

And Pepper, darlin’! You are the cutest!
“A kiss should be written, and written often, and written by an author who knows how” Well, well, an author who knows how is my guest today. Julie Lessman
Too cute, Pepper! I love it!

PEPPER!!! What a fun blog today — a favorite quote from my ALL-TIME favorite book, a FABULOUS intro to my favorite scene from my new book AND one of my favorite Scriptures — YOU HIT IT OUT OF THE PARK, GIRL, so THANK YOU!!!

EDWINA … thanks for stopping by and good luck in the contest.

MELANIE!!! Thanks, sweetie, but your love scene posted last week sent a heat wave through the Web, let me tell you … in fact, Pepper’s whole lineup last week and this week has been AWESOME! Everybody needs to check it out.

LAURA!!! Sooo good to see you here, girl, and if anybody knows how to write a love scene, it’s Laura Frantz, SERIOUSLY!! Check out my review of Laura’s amazing book, The Frontiersman’s Daughter, on Amazon.com because her book is definitely Liz Curtis Higgs/Francine Rivers caliber, trust me. Thanks for dropping by, Laura!

Thanks so much Pepper for all the wonderful posts on ‘Kisses to build a Scene on’…it’s been great reading your blog these past few weeks…I discovered it just in time to join all the fun!
Julie, as always you write scenes that just take my breath away and make me feel like I am right there with them. The kisses are just WOW!! 😀 I am so looking forward to reading the book. I’ve always loved the love/hate realtionship between those two, can’t wait to see how it all works out!
I also loved the cover for Katie’s book, that you shared in your newsletter, but are you not planning on putting a picture of Cluny on the cover? I would love to see him, especially after reading that excerpt! 😀 😀
God bless you both!
Carolynn

Ooops … LINDSEY AND LIZZIE, I missed you both last time, I guess because your names didn’t come through in red … SORRY!

LINDSEY … Cluny was one of your favorite characters from Denied? Me, too, sweetie. In fact,Cluny McGee was originally only meant to be a one- or two-line cameo character in Denied, but he SO stole my heart in that first scene, that I made him a HUGE subordinate character WAY before I ever thought of connecting him with Katie, so isn’t it amazing how it all just works out? It’s one of the true mysteries in seat-of-the-pants writing! Thanks for your sweet comments AND your incredible support.

LIZZIE … Thanks for stopping by to leave a comment. I hope you like the new book as much as I do. It’s my favorite so far, and my editor and friends think so as well, so hopefully you will too. Good luck in the contest!

HOLLY … Uh, yes, you are correct (I say with a cringe) — the Cluny/Luke connection is SUPPOSED to be a surprise, but I ruined it for everyone who reads this scene. Sigh. But truly, it’s not that big of a deal because I think many readers will suspect that Luke is Cluny. Now you’ll just have to read the book to figure out just HOW that happens … 🙂 Thanks for your kind comment, sweetie, and good luck in the contest.

CASEY … “Shame on me, huh?” Gosh, you sound just like the gal who gave me my most recent 1-star review on Amazon … 🙂 But I AM very proud of you for NOT reading the ending of Redeemed because there is a bit of a surprise factor there that would be ruined, so good girl! 🙂

Gracious me, that was smokin’ hot!
Second time this week, Julie, your writing has been brought to my attention. Must be a sign! I got the complete Daughter’s of Boston for Christmas and now I’m wondering what in the world I’ve been waiting for to read it?! A sign from heaven above, apparently. See, I have this problem. If there’s a book I really want to read, I have to have all my responsibilities in order to indulge. Need I point out, that never happens? Well, Darlin’, this weekend, I’m going to indulge!! Who needs a painted bathroom anyway when there’s a hot romance scene awaiting?!

CAROLYNN … Gosh, thanks, sweetie, for that great compliment, and NO, regrettably, Luke will NOT be on the cover of the book because Revell wanted a different look for this series, which they certainly got! But after I sent the newsletter out, I did receive several e-mails bemoaning the absence of Luke’s picture, which I personally think is a good thing. He is a drop-dead gorgeous guy, after all, who has almost white-blond hair, and although I searched the Web high and low, I couldn’t find anybody who matched what I had in mind EXCEPT for a picture of Brad Pitt from A River Runs Through It where he has a fishing pole in his hands. If you Google Brad Pitt images, you’ll see it. He looks almost like a grown-up Huck Finn, which is kind of how I pictured Cluny McGee. I actually included that Brad Pitt pic along with a sassy one of Reese Witherspoon in my last newsletter as the people I had in mind to play the parts.

So, regrettably, Carolynn, we’ll ALL have to use our imaginations … which, let’s face it, is not necessarily a bad thing. 🙂

Soooo glad you got the set because I hope (and pray!) you will want to read them all, one right after another, since they are so connected. Just make sure you begin with A Passion Most Pure because you HAVE to read that one first or a number of HUGE surprises will be ruined for you, okay?

And if you like them, I would LOVE to hear from you. If you don’t, uh, never mind. 🙂

OH! MY! GOODNES!!!!!!! I read and re-read that excerpt and then realized I was holding my breath and getting dizzy! Whew!!!! JULIE!!!!!!!!!!!! You can write THE hottest kisses! I must say I love a gal backed up against the wall. It makes me feel like the man is a real man, the kind that takes charge and is strong enough to handle whatever comes….even a gal’s crazy-loopy-temper! You are me hero…or is that heroine? I wanna write just like you when I grow up. (well, I guess that would be plagurism, but you know what I mean!) I’d LOVE a chance to win a copy, just like everyone else!

Can we say S.I.Z.Z.L.E !?! I agree, every time I read something new of yours I think “this is the best it can get” and then you write some thing even BETTER the next time! I seriously cannot wait to get my hands on this next book. Love ya! Hugs, Ashli

GRIN … SHERRINDA, soooo glad you liked it, and move over, girlfriend, because I absolutely LOVE when a gal is pushed to the wall as well for the very same reason! I am a pretty strong-willed, high-maintenance woman, so when I married my sweet, even-tempered husband, my family shook their heads and thought I would put a ring in his nose and lead him around.

WRONG!! I learned very early in the marriage just who wore the pants in our family, and boy, did it make me fall in love even harder than I originally did. I am happy to say we have been blissfully married for over 30 years now … uh, give or take a few minor scrapes that you will … TRUST ME ON THIS … ALWAYS read about in my books! 😉

LOL … accuse you of plagerism?? Have at it, honey, because I’m looking to read more of the edgy type of romance that I so enjoy reading and writing. In fact, I’m so adamant about this, that in my Seeker post that Pepper alluded to above, A Kiss is Just A Kiss, I actually divulge some of my secrets to writing emotionally charged love scenes, so check it out!

Ha, Melanie! I kinda laughed at myself for getting dizzy! You see, THAT is the kind of love scene I wanna write! But I find when I am actually writing it, I think, okay, I’m a preacher’s wife…can I do this? My grandfather’s were both preachers, would they blush? Well, yeah they would! But I think in today’s society, we are more open about the sexual/sensual side of romance. Nobody may have talked about it back then, but you know good and well they EXPERIENCED it just like the rest of us! Even my preachery grandparents! They HAD to have! We all love the toe-tingling kiss and the swoon-worthy feel of bodies pressed together. *blushing again…rats* lol

I think I need to up the swoon factor on some of kissing scenes today. 🙂 Since I have a snow day, I think I will! (we got a foot of snow in Fort Worth, Texas….hasn’t happened since 1960! Usually we get an inch or two every other year or so!)

I know exactly what you mean, Sherrinda. I sometimes find myself toning down the sensuality in my kissing scenes when I revise because I’m afraid it will offend someone. But I’m just trying to be authentic and real!

LOL… you ladies are hilarious! I’m a preacher’s wife and need I remind you Song of Solomon IS a part of the BIBLE 😉

License to write beautifully crafted romance ‘by the BOOK’, in the right context. Right, Julie 😉

Christians need to be able to show God in the middle of every aspect of their relationships, romance too. And if it’s based on God’s rules and His love – it ought to be BETTER than good. It should be FANTASTIC!

Melanie and Sherrinda, I wrestle with this EVERY TIME I get a 1-star review on Amazon or a blogger blasts me out of the water with a really hurtful review, and each and every time I go back to Song of Solomon like Pepper says. God has used that book to encourage me to stay the course in reaching young women today who deal with the reality of an amoral society. The world is feeding these young women its deadly version of right and wrong in movies, books and every other way imaginable, and it makes me plain CRAZY!

So many of these young gals will not read Christian romance because they are looking for a little more passion than is currently prevalent in the CBA. But they WILL read a Christian romance that deals with the type of temptation and sexuality they encounter every day of their lives. And wouldn’t it be wonderful if while reading this type of romance, they learned God’s precepts in the process?

Like I said in my Life on the Edge Seeker blog a while back, “Yes, I do understand the concern and “passion” of those who feel Christian romance must remain chaste and pure. But on the other side of the spectrum, there are Christians like me, who worry that “chaste and pure” will not reach the majority of Nora Roberts or Hannah Montana or the MTV crowd anymore than old-time Gospel music will reach those who listen to Christian rock such as Pillar or metalcore rock like Underoath. The Body of Christ is just that — a body of human beings at varying levels of faith. It’s not one size fits all in reaching people for Christ, but it’s the cry of St. Paul who said “I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some.” Salt … in an unsavory world.”

Trust me, I’ve gotten thousands of e-mails from young women, some of them absolutely incredible, that have confirmed to me that this is just not a whim on my part, but God’s plan for me as an author. And it’s not something I take lightly, but something I NEVER stop praying about, both on my own and with my prayer partners.

Sorry for rambling, but I always like to address this issue head-on when I can.

Oh, September is a long ways off. What a fabulous scene. I agree with everyone above, you sure know how to write them and yes, I want to write like that. I can see the scenes in my head, but can’t quite get the words right. I think it’s part of the good girl complex, you know, what would my momma say. 🙂 I did hope that the Luke in the excerpt in the back of A Passion Denied was Cluny and am so happy to know that he is. Yea! I can hardly wait to read Katie’s story and her brother’s stories too. Thank you for what you do. 🙂

CAROLYNN … I am not usually a Brad Pitt fan, to be honest, but when I was looking for a Cluny look-alike, that Huck Fin-type pic of him came close enough to change my mind … 🙂

CASEY … Not to worry, I would NEVER, EVER think you would give me a 1-star review because you have been WAY too supportive, my friend. Besides, I like a bit a sarcasm, as you will see when you read Katie’s story because she’s pretty good at zingers … particularly when it comes to Cluny McGee!

Did you ever notice how Jesus…and Paul too, change their stories to fit their audience? When Jesus talks to the religious leaders, lots of times he’ll talk with Scripture – because He uses their reasoning to reason with them. When he talks to the common folks, he uses parables, because they were your typical folks – they could understand stories and apply them much better.

Masterful storyteller, Jesus. Giving us examples of how we write for His glory to the audience that He’s given us. Julie has an audience that may be on the ‘edge’ and her stories hit their mark, glorifying him from a passion that IS pure. We don’t change the message. No way. The message is the same. We just teach to our audience.

I talk to my college students about different struggles than I talk to my Granny. Some struggles are universal throughout yoru lifetime, but some are particularly more poignant during certain times of life. Praise GOD for Julie’s willingness to step out onto the edge for God’s glory.

Thank you SO much, Kathy, for your really encouraging comment. I’m glad you are excited about the brothers’ books, because I’m writing Sean and Emma’s story right now, and it’s a bit different type of love story since Emma is married and they are friends for most of the book. But the O’Connor men, as you know from Patrick, are almost as emotional as the women in the family, just in a much tougher way. But then, I like emotional men … I’m married to one, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.

And as far as “getting the words out,” take a look at my Seeker blog that Pepper referenced up above because in that, I relate various methods in writing the type of emotional love scenes that I write, and honestly, you came be tame with them so your momma wouldn’t object … 🙂

PEPPER … honestly, you are SUCH an amazing speaker (writer!), because not only did your comment bring tears to my eyes, but it spoke to my spirit more than I can express. You are SO right — “We just teach to our audience.”

Unfortunately, I have always believed that my true “audience” is in the secular market, but at the time that I got published, my agent assured me that my chances for publication would be better in the CBA rather than the ABA because of the deeply spiritual content of my books. Although she DID mention that my chances of publication in the CBA were “slim to nil.” 🙂 But, yes, she’s THAT good of an agent, because she accomplished the near impossible.

Anyway, thank you, Pepper, for your incredible support and friendship. You are something special, my friend.

Wow,I can’t wait to read the rest of the book when it comes out later this year. Talk about your romantic tension there. Please enter me in the drawing for your new book.
cynthiakchow (at) earthlink (dot) net

Holy moly!!!! I thought I read the best kissing scene on Julie’s Seekerville post but I think this one takes the cake!!! Wow sooo much drama…gotta love all that tension 😉 wheeeeewww I can’t wait to read what happens next!!!!!!!

Hey, RENEE … I thought you might like that since we think so much alike and it’s MY favorite scene. I honestly LOVE Luke McGee in A Hope Undaunted, because as you will see from the story, he is SUCH a selfless man to whom family means everything. He grew up as a street orphan of sorts, an illegitimate kid whose mother deserted him, then found family as a leader of a New York street gang before Brady set him straight and paid for his college and law school education. Truly the most appealing hero I’ve written to date. I hope you like him as much as I do. 🙂

And, RENEE … the ONLY way to find one of those guys is to PRAY, PRAY, PRAY. That’s what I did, and it paid off in spades!! That and “seek first the Kingdom of God, which, amazingly enough, DOES add all things unto you. 🙂

Hey Pepper,
I just had to stop by and say I just love the whole A Kiss to Build a SCENE On posts. Love how you really infused the bible into all your posts:~) It’s fun reading all these excerpts, especially Julie’s scene of Luck and Katie’s smokin’ hot smooch. Love it!*grin*

Hi Julie! I have to tell you I LOVE all of your books and can’t wait to read the next one about Katie and Luke. The scenes I’ve read so far look fantastic and makes September seem so far away. Guess I’ll just have to re-read all the DOB books in the meantime… 🙂

Oh. My. Gosh!! Loved the scene, Julie! I’ve been waiting for Katie and Cluny’s book! And you know, I think what makes your kiss scenes so wonderful is all the emotion lurking below the surface. It’s not just a physical thing. The emotion makes it all the more powerful.

Hey, JACKIE … good to see you here! Thanks for dropping by to leave a comment and good luck in the contest. If you don’t win here, you’ll have one more chance next week when I do my last giveaway for a while at Encourage An Author blog. Hope to see you there!

GRIN … Christina … you and me both! You see, I have this ridiculous habit of rereading my books in order right before the next one comes out. Silly, I know, but I like to have the whole saga fresh in mind when I read it like a regular reader would. Gosh, it’s gonna take FOREVER when I get past twenty books … 🙂

MISSY!!! Oh, I can’t tell you HOW much it means to me to have a Seeker pop in — THANK YOU, my friend! And what a lovely thing to say about the emotion. I guess it there’s one thing I am besides a drama queen, it’s emotional! 🙂

JULIE ~ hat’s off to you for this incredible scene. i can’t wait to finish what you’ve started with these sisters! and sassy katie getting her due with cluny–er…i mean LUKE–is awesome! this book is destined for my shelf….or kindle…

Julie,
I shared my desire to write more sensuous material with Sherrinda one day, and she lead me straight to you. Edgy is totally the home I have been looking for. I am so grateful to read your comments about the need to offer something different to our young women. My 20 year-old daughter sat beside me tonight, reading “Most Pure”, while I attempted to write a kissing scene. She giggled and did a fist pump in the air totally delighted and enthralled with the book. Like me she is a fan for life. Thank you for the path you have chosen and the course you have set. It is making a difference!

JEANNIE!!! How the heck are you doing, girlfriend?? So nice to see you here, and THANK YOU for your support and encouragement. Hope your Valentine’s Day (and month) is filled with lots of kisses … and not all the kind on the written page!

AVA … WOW, your comment realllllly blesses the socks off of me, my friend, ESPECIALLY coming from the mom of a 20-year-old because you and your daughter know EXACTLY what I am trying to do here. When you take as many potshots as I have regarding the level of passion in my books, it wears on you, which is why comments like yours really encourage me. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!

And, yes, my books contain more romantic passion than most of what is in the Christian romance market today, but I think that they ALSO contain more spiritual passion than what is often found in Christian romance today.

My blogs on “kisses” this week, both here on Pepper’s site and on my Seekers blog this week, focused TOTALLY on the romantic aspect of my books because it is, after all, Valentine’s Month, and that’s the time to do that. BUT, the spirituality in my books is just as passionate and just as real as my romantic passion because I literally breathe my own passion for God into every book I write. Which is why my agent told me my books were WAY too spiritual for the secular market when I specifically asked her to pitch me there.

So here I am, in the Christian market with books that “stir the waters,” hoping and praying that this new, bolder type of Christian romance will gain ground among the young women of today who are bombarded with the world’s idea of morality. And your encouraging note has helped to take some of the sting out of the criticism that I get, so once again, THANK YOU, Ava!

Hurry up and write that edgy novel, my friend, because I need all the help I can get in fighting fire with fire! 🙂

Hi Julie! As you know, I love all of your books! Thanks so much for the sneak peek into your newest book; it’s an incredible scene!! WOW!! And when I realized it was Cluny . . . well, what a surprise! I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book. Thank you for entering me in the drawing. : )

MICHELLE!!! Sooo good to see you here, my friend! And I am THRILLED to enter you in the contest. I plan to pick the winner soon (hopefully tonight!). And, yeah, I feel a little bad about revealing that the soda jerk is actually Cluny because it really was supposed to be surprise, but I forgot and left Cluny’s name in the scene, so whoops! 🙂

MICHELLE!!! SOOOO good to see you here, my friend!! And, yeah, I guess I spilled the beans about the soda jerk being Cluny, so I’m sorry about that because it really was supposed to be a surprise, but oh well … it doesn’t really ruin the story or anything, or at least I hope not! 🙂

Hi Julie! I have re-read your first three books so many times I’ve lost count and have gotten many of my friends just as addicted! 🙂 I’m beyond thrilled & excited to see you are continuing Katie’s story. Thanks for the “sneak Peek” , I am counting the days until the book comes out 🙂

On a fluke, I checked back on this blog, and lo and behold, here you are!! Thank you SO much for your incredible comment AND for reading (and rereading) my books! WOW, what a blessing it is to hear that!